


Aftermaths of War

by VeronicaFerCard



Series: Aftermaths of War [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Captain America: The Winter Soldier Compliant, Established Relationship, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 11:32:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18010133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VeronicaFerCard/pseuds/VeronicaFerCard
Summary: Steve Rogers has often been called a man out of time, ever since he was discovered frozen and alive in the remains of the airplane he was forced to put down at the end of World War II, in 1945. Now, fifteen years after Rogers’ return to the world, the man who first worn the mantle of Captain America has granted TIME magazine an exclusive interview in celebration of the anniversary.





	Aftermaths of War

**Author's Note:**

> I hope it’s not so completely obvious that I’ve never even seen a TIME magazine. Also, this is the last installment of a series, and I don't think it will make much sense if read on its own.

 

**Aftermaths of War - The fifteenth anniversary of Steve Rogers’ return**

_ By Jeffrey Simmons _

Steve Rogers has often been called  _ a man out of time _ , ever since he was discovered frozen and alive in the remains of the airplane he was forced to put down at the end of World War II, in 1945. Now, fifteen years after Rogers’ return to the world, the man who first worn the mantle of Captain America has granted TIME magazine an exclusive interview in celebration of the anniversary.

Contrary to his friend, the billionaire Tony Stark (Iron Man), the former Avengers leader has never been a big fan of the fame that inevitably came with his status. However, that does not mean Rogers has always managed to keep his life out of the spotlight. Controversy has followed Steve Rogers since he first stepped into the twenty-first century, be that in the form of a very public disagreement with his teammates, which resulted in millions of dollars worth of damage in Germany, as well as often going against the U.S. government, which consequently led him to trial, where the former Captain was charged with Treason. Thankfully, the Commander -- as Rogers is called on the rare, more Earth-threatening missions he still takes part in -- has, time and again, proven to be on the right side of things; the most notorious case regarding the advocating in favor of his now husband, James “Bucky” Barnes, when the latter was discovered to be the feared Winter Soldier.

For this piece, I sat down with Rogers at a café near Stark Tower. Upon arrival, Rogers greets every single employee by name, and it is so warming that I actually resent him a little for the formality reserved to me. However, I cannot hold the grudge for too long. Before we go down to business, we order our coffee and chat a little off record. He talks a little about his daughter -- whom I had to agree wouldn’t be a topic of our conversation -- and I comment that he is, at last, going gray; Rogers laughs at that and tells me he has no intention of covering it up. Gray or not, it is a testament to Dr. Erskine’s great work that the super-soldier still does not look a day over forty. And, once the coffee arrives, we begin.

*

**I have to say, it’s a pleasure finally meeting you, Captain Rogers.**

You too, and just Steve is fine.

**Ok, Steve. So, to start off... Why now? You have always tried to keep away from the media. Did your anniversary change things?**

Uh, I don’t know. To be honest, I was on the fence about this. I sought out my friends’ opinions for quite some time before I made up my mind.

**And what did it?**

Well, my husband actually. In the end, he just reminded me of how much I have to celebrate, that it was a special date. Also --  _ and here the Captain smirks _ \-- Tony [Stark] told me people would talk regardless and this way I could at least have some sort of control on what would be said.

**Well, I am sure I speak for everybody at TIME when I tell you how much we appreciate your trust. And I promise to be faithful to your words. Scout’s honor.**

_ Rogers laughs. _ Alright, alright. I believe you. Thank you, too, for hearing me out. Most people just run with what they think they know about me.

**About that, you have been a public figure for decades, your own history has been mixed with the country’s long before you came back. Is there anything that you would like to rectify?**

I guess the fact that I’m not straight is a given, right? --  _ He smiles. _ \-- But, honestly, I wish people hadn’t just assumed. Other than that, It never sat right with me how the most important people in my life became footnotes in my story. Bucky [Barnes], Peggy [Carter], my mom, I wouldn’t be here without them. Their relevance is not in the fact they knew me, no. They helped  _ shape _ the person I am today. That’s something I’d like to make clear.

**In that case, I think you should know** **_you_ ** **have also helped shape many hearts and minds over the years. How do you deal with that responsibility?**

Honestly, by not thinking about it very much. I try to do my best, but not because I feel like someone’s watching. I just -- do what feels right. 

_ Anyone else saying it, it would sound completed pretentious. Not Steve Rogers, though. He means every word and you can tell it just by looking at him. _

**What about Steve Rogers? How do you want the world to see him?**

As a man, just that. A person. Things are better now -- I think -- since I’m no longer Captain America, but right after the ice… it was difficult. He was a much bigger figure than me, than Steve Rogers. For some time, it was like being buried under the mantle. And, before Buck came back, no one else really knew who I was behind the shield, so I guess I spent those years just being Captain America.

**What brought you back to the surface?**

Obviously, you expect me to say Bucky, and you’re right. My husband  _ has  _ always been at the center of every major decision I’ve ever made, whether I’m following my gut or my brain -- and, let’s be honest, it’s mostly my gut where he is concerned -- but there’s someone else, too. Sam [Wilson - Captain America]. He saw me, under the red white and blue, he saw me and he offered me the hand I needed to pull myself up. Plus, he was there for me through a lot of difficult times, even when we barely knew each other. 

**And the other Avengers?**

I hid from them too, just like the rest of the world. It wasn’t intentional. You see, we met when Earth was under attack and needed Captain America. And, for a long time, I thought that’s what the team needed, that that’s what they wanted from me. Thankfully, those walls are gone now. --  _ He smiles softly. --  _ They know me.

**Since we’re on the subject, do you miss being an active Avenger?**

I used to miss a heck of a lot more. --  _ Rogers chuckles _ . -- The first mission after I stepped out was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to watch. I felt useless, just like I did when I was this skinny kid from Brooklyn, except it was worst because now I did have the power to help.

**Why stop then? Why did you step down if you still wanted to be part of it, if you still wanted to fight?**

Believe me, I asked myself the same question countless times. The truth is I couldn’t keep going. At some point, between finding out Hydra was still active and fighting my friends over the Accords, I just… part of me lost faith in what I had believed my whole life, and it threw me off. And I guess, what was left of me was just -- anger. It took me quite some time to realize I had been using that anger as fuel ever since I woke up from the ice. That was not the reason I picked up the shield. I couldn’t keep using the world’s problems as my personal punching bag. And the worst is that I didn’t even see it, at first, I was so far down denial that I told myself I had to keep on fighting, that there’s was no other way, and I believed that for a long time.

After I watched my friends assembled and fighting without me, I had to fight every instinct that told me to run out of my house in the middle of the night to join them. --  _ He looks down for a moment before meeting my eyes again, and I wait silently until he sorts out his thoughts, once he is ready, Captain Rogers offers me a small, self-deprecating smile that almost breaks my heart. _ \-- In a nutshell? That was the day I admitted to myself I wasn’t alright.

**And did you seek professional help?**

I did, yes. I know there’s still a lot of stigma regarding mental health nowadays, so you can just imagine how a person born in 1918 would first react to this. But I tried to educate myself. Thankfully, I had Sam and Bucky, supporting me every step of the way.  Sam even helped me through the process of finding somebody I would be comfortable with. 

And, well, over time I learned we should never be afraid to reach out to people, to ask for help. 

**How would you say that has changed you?**

_ Rogers laughs _ . I don’t put my fist through the wall whenever I’m frustrated now. I feel like I also know how to manage my anxiety much better these days when I'm faced with stuff that’s out of my control. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I’m perfect, or anything, but I got to know myself better and that has helped a lot.

**I’m glad to hear that. Honestly, it’s surprising how much you’re opening up. I was not expecting that.**

Well, I did agree to talk to you. 

_ The form Captain smirks. I never thought he would be this sassy. _

**That you did. And let me thank you again for that. Now, moving on. I believe fifteen years has been enough time to acclimate to the future, so, my question is, how has your own perspective of this new world changed over the years, as someone who has experienced a completely different reality?**

Changes are easy to spot, obviously, and most of them easy to accept. The hard part is to see how some things just stay the same, no matter how much time passes. Prejudice, for one, is the same discourse with a blank space for people to fill in with a different minority every few decades. 

The good things outweigh the bad, though, they helped me have a much more hopeful view of the world. There are so many people fighting for the right thing nowadays. I have been with my husband since we were teenagers, but back then we didn’t even think of each other as boyfriends or anything like that. Now I see kids, younger than I was, taking a stand in favor of LGBTQ+ rights, and sometimes they are not even queer. It’s -- it’s beautiful. It’s inspiring. 

Feminism, as well.

**Do you consider yourself a feminist?**

Of course! I was raised by a single mother who worked up until she was too sick to get out of bed so she could take care of me. I saw Mrs. Barnes, Bucky’s mom, do everything within her power for her family. Bucky’s sisters, fierce women from a very early age. I watched Peggy Carter fight her way through a male-dominated place during the War. My friends Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) and Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch), the entire Wakandan Royal Guard. I have always been surrounded by incredible women, but even if I had never met any of them, that wouldn’t take away my responsibility as a member of society; feminism is about equality, and that’s something I’ve been fighting for my whole life. 

**You have mentioned your fellow Avengers. I’d like to ask about two of them. First, could you talk a little about Sam Wilson as Captain America?**

Sam is one of the best people I know. He has a big heart and, I have to say, he is much better at strategizing than I ever was. As a friend, I’m immensely proud of the work he’s been doing, not only defending the Earth as a whole but also his social work. As an American citizen, there is no one I would trust more to represent everything good about our country, he is someone to look up to. 

**The second Avenger I’d like to talk to you about is Tony Stark. Years ago, the two of you had a very public disagreement which almost caused the end of the Avengers and led you to be tried with Treason. Would you say you are friends? How has your relationship with Mr. Stark developed over the years?**

Yes, we are friends. I care a lot about Tony, and I know he feels the same. It’s true that we do not always agree on things, but we’ve learned to deal with that. The thing is, by the time we met, we both had already some preconceived notions of each other, and it took us some time to see one another through that, to really get to know each other. In the end, it was Tony who crossed that bridge first. There were things he could have done, things that would have been justifiable, but he chose not to. 

Besides, Tony was there for Bucky when I couldn’t be. He helped us more than I could ever repay him. He’ll try to joke his way out of it if you tell him, but Tony Stark is a good man. I knew his father only when he was young, and I know that Howard was a very different version from the person Tony grew up with, but they both meant well. Perhaps Howard got lost along the way, but Tony’s heart is the right place. And, like all the Avengers, he is family, they all are.

**A family which has saved the world time and again. So, on behalf of every person out there, thank you. Today, I would like to ask about one particular mission. This was the first mission the Avengers took after you stepped out as Captain America, but they ended up needing your assistance, as well as your husband’s, as the Winter Soldier. It was also in this mission that you had your first loss, the android Vision. The Avengers spent months in space, and when you came back very little was actually revealed to the public about it. Now that some years have gone by, is there something you can tell us?**

_ Rogers takes some time to ponder on what to say. He gets a distant look on his face and it almost makes me regret bringing the subject up. Thankfully, it isn’t long before his eyes are back on me and begins his answer. _

Unfortunately, there is not much I can tell you, though, honestly, I think it’s better this way. It would just make people worry unnecessarily over a threat that has been long gone. It was a difficult mission, I’ll give you that, but we didn’t come back home until it was done. Losing Vision was hard, but I like to think we honored him by doing our job, not just out of revenge, but also by making sure no one else got hurt. 

**And, I know it was a life or death situation, but I have to ask, how was it, being out there?**

Well, as you put it, it wasn’t really a situation which allowed us the time for sightseeing, but we did see some beautiful places, we just couldn’t enjoy it then. Actually, now that I’m thinking, Bucky did have a fantastic view of Earth for some time due to where he was stationed. He said it was breathtaking. 

**Would you go back to space as a visitor?**

Oh, yeah, absolutely! My household is filled with space nerds. Plus, one of my closest friends is from Asgard. I would love the chance to check what’s out there. In fact, my husband has been thinking about doing something on space engineering for his Ph.D., so I might really get to go out there again if he let me tag along.

**Since you have mentioned school, do** **_you_ ** **plan on getting a degree of some kind? It is public knowledge that you have been interested in Art way before the Second World War, so, maybe something in that area?**

As a matter of fact, I do study. I mostly take online classes. A couple of years ago I got my Art major. Truth is, there is so much I want to learn, sometimes it’s hard for me to settle on just one thing. Besides Art, there are a lot of other things I’m interested in, like social studies,  politics --  _ he smirks _ \-- History to list a few. Anything that can help me understand the world we live in and how to make it better for those who need it.

**You have been involved with a number of charities over the years. Is there a particular cause that has a special place in your life?**

Honestly whatever I can do to help people. I’m often trying to get funds for the V.A., or working with the LGBTQ+ community. And lately, I have also taken interest in working with the elderly on things that can help with their quality of life. --  _ He winks _ . -- After all, we old folks gotta stick together. 

**About that, since you have lived such a long life, are there any plans on putting those years into an autobiography?**

I’ve already got some biographies that were written when I was still in the ice. I tried to read one of them once, but I felt too self-conscious for some reason; I can’t even imagine writing one myself. So I guess I’ll leave the sequels for someone else to write once I’m dead again.

**We are rounding up to the end of this interview, so I would like to ask you just a couple more question. The first one is, and I know you have mentioned him several times over our conversation, but, if you had to describe in a sentence, how would you define who “Bucky” Barnes is to you?**

There is no way I can fit everything he is to me into a single sentence. It’s too much. He is… he is the bravest man I have ever met. He is resilient, he went through terrible, unspeakable things, but it didn’t break his heart, it didn’t take his soul away, he’s still so kind. Growing up, people always thought I was a bad influence on him --  _ he smiles _ \-- I  _ was _ a troublemaker, you see, but Bucky saw beyond that. He’s always been great at reading people. So, when I found out he was alive; when I discovered what had happened to him… it hurt like nothing else. But he pulled himself back up. I admire him so much, I could spend the rest of the weekend telling you this. I’ve loved this man since I was a kid. That I get to spend the rest of my life with him, it’s the best gift life has ever given me. So, who he is to me, you ask? He is a great person, he is a loving husband and a caring father. --  _ The Captain’s eyes are suddenly shiny,  so I give him a couple of seconds for a glass of water and wait until he is ready to continue.  _ \--  What else can I say? He is my whole life.

**And how do you plan on celebrating the fifteen year anniversary of your return?**

Well, I’m sure New York city and Tony Stark both have more exciting plans that could ever dream of. I’d be happy just sharing a day with my friends and family.

**Alright, last question: how would you describe the last fifteen years?**

_ As he thinks about it, I can see Steve Rogers goes somewhere far in his head. He doesn't have to say anything for me to guess he is reliving it all. Perhaps even further than what I asked, and then, at last, he smiles before telling me... _

A lot of terrible things happened. The aftermaths of war are never easy. You fall and you  _ gotta  _ pick yourself up, and each time it feels like it gets a little harder to get off the ground, but there’s nothing else we can do. We have to move forward. 

But it's been good, too. I met a bunch of truly amazing people, got the love of my life back, fought Nazis again -- which, honestly, I could have gone without -- although it served to show me there are a lot more good folks out there than bad. Overall, I got to learn so much. I got a second chance at life, and I’m thankful for it, every day, and I’m just... trying to do my best with it. That’s all any of us can do.

*

Steve Rogers is 108 years old. He has had four biographies published over the past sixty years, none of each authorized. Many people have read them, or something else about him in which he is depicted as a figure much too big to fit any one person’s shoes. Having met him, having  _ heard  _ him, makes it hard to reconcile the humble man I had coffee with and the living legend we all grew up hearing about. I was left with the feeling that we have all collectively misjudged him, that we failed to see the man under the mantle, even after Rogers had passed it on. 

He is a private person, so I doubt everyone out there will get the chance to really know him, but I do hope that, with this piece, I might help shine some light on the Brooklyn born Captain whose title has shadowed him for far too long. So, next time you think about Captain America, remember, there is a person behind that shield, be that Sam Wilson, or one Steven Grant Rogers-Barnes. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This is it! This is the end of the Aftermaths of War series. Thanks to everyone who's read it, I hope you had a great time because I certainly did! As always, comments are deeply appreciated.


End file.
